When The Chocolate Pig opens its doors at Cortex this fall, a new restaurant will join the St. Louis food landscape—and so will a new chef.

Photo credit Switzerfilm

Chef Patrick Russell relocated to St. Louis from Virginia just about a month ago. “The job brought me back,” he says. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

Russell grew up in the Gateway City before training in New England, then cutting his culinary teeth in Dallas and Virginia. He's now getting to know the food scene again. “The East Coast was different from Dallas, and Dallas is different than St. Louis,” he says.

An admirer of many restaurants he’s tried so far, Russell says his menu will bring something different to the mix. “It all comes back to where you’ve worked and what influenced you,” he says.

In his 18 years of experience, those influences include his training at the New England Culinary Institute, stints as an intern (including for celeb chef Tom Colicchio), sous chef and executive chef at restaurants in Dallas, and, most recently, as the sous chef at upscale Virginia eatery Field & Main.

Photo credit Switzerfilm

Russell’s new colleague, pastry chef Tyler Davis, will also influence the concept. Davis' resumé reads like a who’s who of St. Louis restaurants past and present, including Element, The Crossing, The Libertine. “This team is so talented!” Davis says, his enthusiasm undeniable. “I’m just so humbled to be brought on.”

The two have begun sampling possible menu dishes in the test kitchen. And while neither will divulge too much about the menu possibilities, they are offering a few details.

Russell’s menu will feature farm-to-table, “nose-to-tail” offerings, sourcing meat and produce from local farmers. And while the restaurant’s name suggests a meat lover’s paradise, Russell promises not to overlook vegetarians, vegans, and those with dietary restrictions. And, he adds, “It will be more than just vegetables on a plate. I’m working toward composed dishes that are satiating.”

As for Davis, he’s planning to focus on “nostalgic” flavors with some culinary magic. Liquid nitrogen, for example, can freeze food instantly and transform it in surprising ways. “We want people to have a great meal," he says, "and a greater appreciation for food after they leave.”